A hood assembly includes an outer panel and a frame mounted to an interior surface of the outer panel. The hood assembly may be part of a front end assembly of an automotive vehicle. In an automotive application, the hood assembly covers the engine compartment and is generally orthogonal to a grill. Currently, the frame includes a front portion which is configured to seat with a top surface of a front end assembly so as to reduce noise. Accordingly, the frame may include contoured sections which extend generally radially away from the interior surface of the outer panel. The contoured sections reinforce the outer panel. However, it remains desirable to provide the outer panel with a predetermined deformation from a top down load.